After Hale came to the attention of William R. Harper, the young President of the new University of Chicago, they soon collaborated in pursuading Charles T. Yerkes to fund the construction of a giant telescope and observatory. The site chosen was near Geneva Lake in southeastern Wisconsin. Besides being a showplace location that broadcast the generousity of Mr. Yerkes to vacationing Chicago high society, the site was endorsed by Hale as advantageous for solar astronomy. Hale reasoned that the temperature stability of the nearby lake would facilitate high-resolution imaging of the Sun, a view confirmed by later solar astronomers. This image shows the south side of the building, and the woman (with a hound) in the foreground is likely Hale's wife.
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